RMD 8555 Two Door Fridge - performance stats

[tractors1]

Drumstick, if you have air intrusion from the back side of the fridge, your claim is against the installation facility for installing a defective device. As a warranty center they are the licensed Dometic business agent and it should be their responsibility to perform an installation according to the manufacturers specs of a unit that is built and performs to the manufacturers specification, which states that the combustion chamber of the fridge must be fully sealed to prevent combustion gases entering the RV/trailer. Read the installation manual and use that as a claim against the warranty center performance.

[Drumstick63]

Charlie, the warranty center is here in Louisiana but they did not perform the installation nor have they uninstalled and reinstalled the fridge. It was installed by Escape during the build and picked up on 5/27/2015. The warranty center agrees that there is an enormous amount of air intrusion and leakage and they are simply working directly with Dometic on troubleshooting/resolution. Dometic's resolution recommendation thus far is installing a new sensor for the exterior fan and new door gaskets. Nothing thus far has been recommended to stop the intrusion of air into the fridge from the backside, which to me seems to be the initial problem.

I guess I am not sure as to whether the problem is the actual installation or a faulty fridge that was not properly sealed at the manufacturer. It just doesn't make sense that air would be allowed to flow through the brown foam insulation into the fridge itself. Seems like it should be pretty airtight at that location.

Thanks,
Mark

[cpaharley2008]

The RV Fridge Guard may help with the escaping cold air and in order for the air to escape. is it around your door gaskets? I notice there is a lot of "cushion play" and I installed child locks to hold the door in tight while in transit. Also seal the door bottom hole and do not travel with the MaxxFan open. There is also the possibility of air intrusion via the drain hose, either put water in the cup or add hose to form a loop. One other item, do not use "auto" but use the manual controls on the refer.

[Drumstick63]

Jim, we did notice a little "cushion play" but really didn't feel air leaking around the gaskets. Initially the air was escaping through the latch area and under the door skin and causing serious dripping condensation. After making sure the door bottom hole was plugged and also filling the slot in the door with foam weatherstripping and aluminum tape, the air leakage seemed to move to the upper hinge area. We did add water to the cup to prevent air instrusion through the drain hose. Also per Reace's instruction, we removed the aluminum cooling fins in both the fridge and freezer and filled the hole where the thermistor wire runs into the fridge with Butyl Putty Tape. This is when we noticed the enormous amount of air passing through certain areas of the foam behind the cooling fins. It would almost blow out the candle in two or three spots.

Also, we do not travel with the MaxxFan open and have tried both "Auto" and "Manual" with the same result. In our opinion the cooling unit works great and we just need to stop the air intrusion and leakage. Early on in our testing, we moved the thermistor and were able to maintain 27 to 33 degrees Fahrenheit for many days in hot\humid Louisiana summer weather with the trailer sitting in direct sunlight, as long as the MaxxFan was off. We are hopeful.....

Thanks,
Mark

[LeonW]

Mark,

Thanks much for posting where the leaks in your fridge are. I was wondering that.

Our performance over the summer has been ok (but not great) as long as we keep the fridge on 5 bars. I am anxious for the Mississippi River Rendezvous coming up in a couple of weeks so that we can try the fridge out with more reasonable temperatures.

I hope your dometic tech is able to solve the problem.

[cpaharley2008]

Summary of my recent trip to Niagara with the new RMD and fridge guard installed. Going down the temperature creeped up to 43. Once there, with daily use, on #3, it stayed 37/10. I showed the trailer at least a dozen times and each one involved opening the unit, the Fridge Guard works.......it never rose more than one degree with daily use and showings. Coming home, I removed the drain hose I had inserted into the hole in the refer compartment and reinstalled it back into the factory default location. I was thinking that there was warm air escaping due to that hose being exposed to wind. I also "borrowed" some furnace material from Jon, thanks again Jon, and cut 3 thin pieces and installed on my exterior vent. Which one worked I do not know, but the temperature did not rise one degree while in transit. I'm a happy camper now. But off to the tire store for 2 new tires tomorrow.

[LeonW]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Summary of my recent trip to Niagara with the new RMD and fridge guard installed. Going down the temperature creeped up to 43. Once there, with daily use, on #3, it stayed 37/10. I showed the trailer at least a dozen times and each one involved opening the unit, the Fridge Guard works.......it never rose more than one degree with daily use and showings. Coming home, I removed the drain hose I had inserted into the hole in the refer compartment and reinstalled it back into the factory default location. I was thinking that there was warm air escaping due to that hose being exposed to wind. I also "borrowed" some furnace material from Jon, thanks again Jon, and cut 3 thin pieces and installed on my exterior vent. Which one worked I do not know, but the temperature did not rise one degree while in transit. I'm a happy camper now. But off to the tire store for 2 new tires tomorrow.

Jim, how many miles do you have on those tires? I am surprised you need tires so soon. I assume you are talking about trailer tires.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Summary of my recent trip to Niagara with the new RMD and fridge guard installed. Going down the temperature creeped up to 43. Once there, with daily use, on #3, it stayed 37/10. I showed the trailer at least a dozen times and each one involved opening the unit, the Fridge Guard works.......it never rose more than one degree with daily use and showings. Coming home, I removed the drain hose I had inserted into the hole in the refer compartment and reinstalled it back into the factory default location. I was thinking that there was warm air escaping due to that hose being exposed to wind. I also "borrowed" some furnace material from Jon, thanks again Jon, and cut 3 thin pieces and installed on my exterior vent. Which one worked I do not know, but the temperature did not rise one degree while in transit. I'm a happy camper now. But off to the tire store for 2 new tires tomorrow.

Please provide further information on the furnace material you added.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by LeonW

Jim, how many miles do you have on those tires? I am surprised you need tires so soon. I assume you are talking about trailer tires.

I should have said I picked up a bolt and my curb side front tire went flat while towing. I did not notice it until I stopped for gas. I had to put the spare on (should have ordered 5 chrome wheels...) and continued on to rally. Going to get 2 new front axle tires to so that they match on same axle. I have around 18,000 miles on tires. Plenty of tread, just road hazard issue.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by skiman

Please provide further information on the furnace material you added.

Here are some pictures taken... the thing hanging is a small bungee I use to secure the cover inside. I had previously installed some metal screening for bugs and placed this material behind the screening.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Here are some pictures taken... the thing hanging is a small bungee I use to secure the cover inside. I had previously installed some metal screening for bugs and placed this material behind the screening.

Is the object to keep gas flame from blowing out? Why only over upper section?

[cpaharley2008]

I'm not sure if it was the flame blowing out or if the fact my drain hose was inserted into the hole in the bottom. Either the drain hose allowed warm air to escape or the flame blew out, but now neither seems to happen. I'll have to remove the material on next trip and see if the issue reappears.

[Chapitre]

Does anyone know what the lowest temperature that is possible in the fridge and freezer- irrespective of the bar setting?
Can it get below a specific temp or is there a "bottom line" temperature if everything was working perfectly?
Thanks

[cpaharley2008]

My freezer has gone below -0- and the refrigerator around 28 while on setting#3 out of 5, normal is about 10 in freezer and 37 in refer on same setting.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Chapitre

Does anyone know what the lowest temperature that is possible in the fridge and freezer- irrespective of the bar setting?
Can it get below a specific temp or is there a "bottom line" temperature if everything was working perfectly?
Thanks

That's going to depend on ambient conditions; it won't get as cold when it's 110F outside as in 45F weather.

[Mike Lewis]

I took my trailer down to the local Camping World two weeks ago to have its RMD8555 fridge checked out, as it got too warm when I was on the long trip I completed last month. The first week it was at Camping World they had it set to line voltage and it stayed around 37 degrees F. No problems. I asked them to put it on propane and they did for the second week. Again, the fridge didn't get too warm. I retrieved the trailer on Friday.

I'll keep it turn on for a few days to see for myself. It hasn't been unusually hot here in the past two weeks, in the low 90s a few times, but that should have been enough to trigger the problem I had before. I don't get it.

[cpaharley2008]

You may have had the same issue I did in that it was blowing out while towing or your drain tube was allowing warm air while towing. Sitting still no issue.
If so put some water in your overflow so it covers the tube and install some fire resistance furnace filter material in your vent. I believe I posted pictures.

[Chapitre]

We had the RMD installed a couple of weeks ago, have been testing the temps Freezer and fridge/ propane & 120.
Outside temps have been from 80 degrees w/ humidity to 55 degrees.
On 5 - 120V the fridge was 36 degrees, didn't test the freezer temps but did freeze a container of ice in there.
On 4- 120V the fridge was 38 degrees, again froze a container of ice in the freezer, however the temp in the freezer was 20 degrees.
On 4- Propane fridge was near 40 degrees, freezer was 20 degrees.


The fridge seems more or less OK, the freezer is freezing things but far from 0- which according to the thermometer I have, should be correct for the freezer....
Any thoughts? Should I worry about the freezer?

[cpaharley2008]

Where is your thermister? I removed mine and left it hanging lower than where it was, they may help the unit get colder.

[Chapitre]

It's in that little white box, up by the top of the fins.